By Heather Grossmann | MainStreet.com

With the unemployment rate careening toward 9% and companies doling out forced furloughs and pay cuts, the search is on for alternative sources of revenue.

The good news is that you don’t need to look beyond your own workbench, sewing kit or crafts closet to find it. More and more people are finding that with a bit of cultivation, a favorite hobby can provide a steady stream of income

Etsy.com, an online marketplace for handmade goods, is a testament to the trend. It took the company two and a half years of hard work to finally hit one million users by January of 2008, but only nine moths later, that number had already doubled. And in each month since, Etsy had added over a hundred thousand new buyers and sellers to its community.

Adam Brown, a spokesman for Etsy.com, says these days consumers are more inclined to buy homemade items.

“Lately, people are more aware of the social and environmental costs of things that they buy,” Brown says. “Handmade objects also have an intangible value…The person and story behind the item. I like to use this story: ‘If your house was on fire, are you going to run in and rescue your stereo, or the dress that your mother made for you?’ ”

MainStreet spoke to four people who have capitalized on this trend, successfully turning their hobbies into earnings:

Jessi Walter has always loved baking. When she lost her job as a vice president of credit strategy at Bear Stearns, she didn’t despair. Inspired by kitchen lessons she had given her boyfriend’s young nieces, Walter started Cupcake Kids, a small business that provides children’s cooking classes (and not just on cupcakes). Now, Walter’s classes regularly sell out and she is looking into opening a second location.

MainStreet: What is the most challenging aspect of running your own business?
Walter: Being in charge of everything! If you don’t do it, no one else will. It’s exciting to have so much control and involvement in what you are creating but it’s also a constant challenge to keep up with my ideas and vision for Cupcake Kids.

What is most rewarding?
It’s amazing to see the company grow. I love looking at how we’re expanding each month and how we’re improving in every area of the business. It’s also wonderful to work on generating new lines of business.

What have you learned?
The biggest insight is that it’s hard. I’m so glad that I made the decision to pursue Cupcake Kids, but it’s been a lot of work. Many more hours than Wall Street. My head brews with ideas from morning to night!

What tips would you give people looking to turn a hobby into a business?
Love what you are going to do. You have to embrace the whole process (not one specific element of your business). If I only liked teaching kids to cook, I wouldn’t be very happy right now. I enjoy the marketing and the business planning, etc. You have to be in it for the whole package. You also need to be realistic about your goals and whether or not they are attainable. Budgets are very hard to do but they really help!

Joe Oliveri has been collecting broken and obsolete computer parts in his basement for more than a decade. His plan was to retail them on eBay (Stock Quote: EBAY), but he quickly realized that some items just don’t sell. Three years ago he had his eureka moment when he saw a clock made from old hard drives for sale. He thought, “Hey, I can do that.” And he did. Oliveri started GeekGearStore.com that year and has been making money off of discarded computer parts ever since.

MainStreet: What is the most challenging aspect of running your own business?
Oliveri: The challenge is managing my time between my day job, family and Geek Gear. And recruiting my own customers…I recently started a mailing list to try to keep in touch with my previous customers and keep them informed on my latest creations.

What is most rewarding?
Geek Gear fulfills a few things in my life. The first is legacy. It’s the thought that knowing something I made might be around after I’m gone. Next is satisfaction. When I make a new product it’s like winning a baseball game. I tell myself when I sit down at my workbench to brainstorm, “I need a win here!” And, when a customer opens a box from Geek Gear, I want them to be happy and bring a smile to their face.

What have you learned?
The most important part to any of my business is customer satisfaction. A happy customer tells a few people about you. An unhappy customer tells everyone!

What tips would you give people looking to turn a hobby into a business?
First and most important is to keep it fun. When it’s a hobby you do it for fun, so when you make that jump to business keep it fun!
Second, keep it simple! When I make a new product, I usually only buy enough supplies for one or two. If I can sell two, I can probably sell four, then eight, then eventually fifty or more. This way I’m only investing in parts that will be used in my products. You may come up short on stock from time to time, but it will keep your expenses down.

Cyndie Smith spent years traveling the globe as a health care executive. It was tiring and frustrating and eventually she’d had enough. Smith took a metalworking class for inspiration and, when a friend told her about Etsy.com, she decided to try and sell one of the bracelets she designed in class. She sold 49 of them in short order and in 2003, Cyndie Smith Designs was born.

MainStreet: What is the most challenging aspect of running your own business?
Smith: Time is my biggest challenge. People think, because it’s my own business, I can just do it when I feel like it. Not so! There’s marketing, updating websites, photographing, record keeping, packaging and mailing, and finally, creating.

What is most rewarding?
The fact that most of my customers keep coming back. It took about a year to create a loyal following, but I have people whose entire family has one of my designs. They’ve become friends, not just customers, and they come to me for custom designs. I love that, because it means that each piece has a special meaning to them.

What have you learned?
After almost two years, I’ve learned not to let it take over my whole life. It’s so easy to get caught up in the thrill of it all, like Sally Fields at the Oscars: “They like me, they really like me!” I wish I’d known how to balance it all. I’m still learning but I’m getting better at it.

What tips would you give people looking to turn a hobby into a business?
It can’t be done half way. People considering this move need to understand that the business doesn’t just come to you. It’s hard work and requires hours of marketing and follow-up. When I first started, it was two hours of online marketing in the morning, and two hours late at night (to catch the West Coasters, and the international market). Also, customer service is everything. A quality product won’t go anywhere if the customer isn’t happy.

Traci French taught kindergarten through fourth grade for 10 years, and while she loved the kids, she wasn’t as fond of the work. When readers of her blog started asking to purchase the photos she posted, she realized that she could make a living doing what she loved best. French is now a full-time mom and a full-time photographer. She sells her work online and to companies like Urban Outfitters.

MainStreet: What is the most challenging aspect of running your own business?
French: Time management. I have the toughest time with that. I have nobody to answer to, so many times I put everyday life in front of working on my photography. Although, it can also go the other way. Many times I feel like I should really be giving my family my full attention, but then get caught up in my photography or blog.

What is most rewarding?
Oddly, the same thing. I love the fact that I don’t answer to anyone and can spend the day tooling outside with my son if I want to.

What have you learned?
I wish I went for it earlier. I wish I had spent my 20s trying to come up with a career path that I would absolutely love, rather than something just to get by.

What tips would you give people looking to turn a hobby into a business?
As hokey as it sounds, put good things out there and they will come back to you over and over again. I have been amazed by how kind and giving people can be and how good it feels to admire the work of others. Also, commenting on other people’s blogs is a fantastic way to introduce yourself and what you do.

Living Almost Large is a blog written by a “20-something DINK searching for true financial freedom.”  For those of you who don’t know, a DINK is a couple that has both sides working full time (“dual-income”) and they have no children (“no kids”).   To be clear: Dual Income No Kids.

Over the past week, there have been several great articles written by LAL.  Check out what she’s talking about below:

Do you think money affects relationships?  Here are some things to think about:

“How do you know someone isn’t being cheap and a user versus being generous but unable to contribute financially to a relationship?  What if the person is in debt and tries to not pay for any dating activities?  Do you view that as admirable and pay their way?

Should you, whether male or female, be watching your financial pocketbook as you date?  Is there a limit?  Can you tell or do you have to shell out some $$$ to figure it out?  What are some classic signs people should notice when dating?”

So what do you think?  Tell us both in the the comments at the bottom of the posts.

Is there anything that you have, or pay for that you would consider luxuries?  Do they make you feel rich?  LAL has a few that makes her feel like they have it pretty good - HDTV, eating out, lack of intense couponing.  What makes or would make you feel like you were living the good life?

“Are you green by choice and do you pay for it?  Or by default?  Or not at all?”  LAL says that she feels as tho they are green by “default”.  They do things that save money in the long run, but these things also ends up allowing them to be green in the process.  What about you? Are you actively pursuing a greener lifestyle, does it just happen, or could you care less?

How do you become the richest person in your town?

That’s the simple question that lead author W. Randall Jones, the founder of Worth Magazine, to write The Richest Man in Town: The Twelve Commandments of Wealth. Jones interviewed people from every state in America and discovered over one hundred individuals with the absolute highest net worth compared to their peers… in fact, his “average” interviewee had a net worth of $3.5 billion.

Yes, that’s “billion” with a “b”!

So how did these individuals do it? Jones begins by laying out the groundwork for his method of finding these people. He also offers two caveats: first, he didn’t include people whose wealth came from inheritance. Second, he acknowledged that Americans have a host of advantages when it comes to wealth-building, namely the riches associated with our democracy and our publicly-funded services (free access to basic education, for example).

Then, he jumped right into a thoughtful tome on building and living a “rich life”.

One of my favorite “commandments” was Commandment #2: Find Your Perfect Pitch. In it tells the story of one “richest man in town” (or RMIT). Back in college this RMIT signed up for what he felt certain was going to be an easy college class: music studies. On the first day the professor played a few notes. Who could identify these notes? A large percentage of the hands went up, one student correctly identifying the note thanks to having “perfect pitch”.

At that moment this RMIT understood two things: he didn’t innately possess, nor could acquire, perfect pitch, and, he was competing against those that did. Suddenly, this “blow off class” was a real struggle. He learned the dual lesson of appreciating the talent/skills of others as well correctly identifying his own strengths. He points to this moment of clarity when it came to evaluating his own life.

I liked this chapter because it takes courage to determine your unique skills. It takes even more courage to independently act upon them. We humans have a tendency to delude ourselves in this respect if we’ve built an identity upon something that we are merely “good at” versus “great at” doing. RMITs appear to know themselves quite well and therefore play to strengths, not weaknesses. That’s a lesson from which we can all learn.

If you curious about the habits and outlook of the richest men and women in the United States, this is a must-read. You will evaluate your personal choices relating to time management, vocation, and attitude. I really enjoyed it.

By MainStreet.com Staff Writers

When it comes to getting what they want, kids are quick studies. Why not use that trait to teach your kids how to manage money from an early age? These days, many adults are learning the importance of fiscal responsibility the hard way. You can save your kids from those hard lessons by making them money savvy from the beginning.

Here are some strategies you can use to instill solid financial habits in your children early:

1. Give your kids a regular allowance. Establishing a regular income for your kids in the form of an allowance is key to teach a child how to make a budget (see strategy No. 2). Your child’s age can determine his allowance (for example, $1 per year of life) or it can be linked to chores or tasks. Make sure the allowance is enough to cover the expenses you expect your child to fund, however. If you expect your child to buy lunches each day, for example, make sure the allowance is enough to pay for that plus a little more for other expenses.

2. Help your child make a budget. Getting your child in the habit of creating and managing a budget will prevent many financial difficulties in the future. Help your child prioritize what is import to her, and together create a budget that allocates her allowance to those things. Go over the importance of saving, investing and charitable giving in addition to spending. Suggest a percentage of your child’s allowance go toward those goals. Teach your child to separate her allowance as soon as she gets it into difference categories for spending, savings, investment and charitable giving. (And check out MainStreet’s review of a piggy bank that does just that.)

3. Let your child take financial responsibility for some large purchases. As your child gets older, let him take on the responsibility of saving for big-ticket items. For example, if your child wants a new video game that costs $50, teach him how to save toward that goal. Sit down and help him calculate how much he would need to save for how long in order to afford that purchase. Then help him adjust his budget to reach that goal. If your child has to pay for large purchases himself and sacrifice other expenses, he will learn the value of his money that much sooner.

4. Teach your child about the stock market. Once children understand basic math like addition, subtraction and multiplication, understanding how to invest in the stock market isn’t that far off. Explain how the stock market works in very basic terms using stocks of products your child is familiar with such as Disney (Stock Quote: DIS). Help your child track a stock for a short period and do the basic calculations to determine if an investment would make or lose money over that period.

5. Help your child start investing. Once your child has an understanding of the stock market, help her set up a real investment. The funds can come from your child’s investment savings, or you can provide some seed money or matching money. Track how the investment performs regularly with your child. If your child has a part-time job, consider starting a Roth IRA to teach the importance of saving for retirement. Investing in a Roth IRA early can teach a valuable lesson about compound interest and provide a solid start for future retirement savings.

By Kayla Baxter | WomenCo.

You feel it. I feel it. In this economy, it’s hard to ignore those sneaking feelings of doubt and fear that creep into our everyday lives. Will I be able to keep my job? Is my retirement account big enough? Are my savings slowly disappearing?

These questions are valid and obviously should be addressed if you feel REAL concerns and have solid evidence that maybe your finances aren’t going in the direction you planned. However, much of this anxiety and fear is all in our heads.

What this economic slowdown boils down to is fear. Plain and simple. We’ve been hearing in the news that major automobile companies are getting government bailouts because they can’t sustain the kind of sales they are accustomed to. Do you know why? Fear.

Consider the situation we’re in. Automobile manufacturers aren’t making enough to stay in business because people aren’t buying cars. People aren’t buying cars because they are afraid that they won’t be able to pay off the loan. Banks lose interest money they could have earned because no loan was ever taken out — and they tighten their policies making it harder to get a loan because they are afraid they won’t be paid back.

Banks lay off employees because they can’t earn interest money. Automobile manufacturers lay off workers because they aren’t making enough revenue to stay afloat. And then more people aren’t buying cars or taking out loans. It’s a vicious cycle.

Of course, it all seems much easier when you aren’t dealing with your first layoff or a diminishing income from your investments. However, to manage your fear, I recommend a few simple things that will help you stay out of those cycles of panicky thoughts and negative emotions.

#1 Exercise.

Even just going for a 20-minute walk around your neighborhood can reduce stress, release toxins and get your blood flowing — improving your mood and lifting your spirits. Notice the beauty of the things around you, and more importantly, appreciate what you’ve got.

Counting your blessings is one of the most rewarding things you can do for yourself, and doing it while exercising is a double whammy. You think you don’t have time? Stop reading this article, get up and go for a 5 minute walk right now. Bonus: It’s free!

#2 Reduce your exposure to negative information.

It’s one thing to be aware of what is going on in the world, but if you watch the news every night, chances are you’re tired of hearing about death, destruction, financial scandal, and God knows what else. Reduce your intake of these negative broadcasts. Even just turning off the TV one day a week (to take a walk, maybe?) will improve your mood and get your feet — and head — on the ground.

#3 Stay connected.

Most likely, you list your family and friends at the top of your priority list. Show them that you care by calling and catching up. Reconnect with old friends you’ve lost touch with — build your network.

This has a two-fold benefit: one, you’re increasing your positive interactions and improving your life’s quality with these connections. Two, in the case you (heaven forbid) are laid off, the network you build could be instrumental in finding your next job. Try starting a game night on a weekly basis, where everyone brings their old board games and you can rotate hosts.

#4 Laugh.

Laughter reduces the level of stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. It also increases the level of health-enhancing hormones like endorphins and neurotransmitters. Laughter increases the number of antibody-producing cells and enhances the effectiveness of T cells. All this means a stronger immune system, as well as fewer physical effects of stress.

Get on the phone with your funniest friend and take care of #3 and #4 all at once! Better yet, take a walk with your funniest friend! If you’re really feeling down, fake it. Studies have proven again and again that even a fake smile or laugh provides the benefits above.

#5 Get it all out.

If you are scared, depressed, anxious or worried, create a “worry journal.” Decorate it all in black, glue doomsday images all over it, then write down everything you’re thinking and feeling, even if it’s totally ridiculous — then leave it alone for a day or so, to then come back to it with new thoughts and plans of action.

Here’s an excerpt from my “worry journal”:
My company had to cut all of its 401k matching contributions, we had to lay off all our temporary workers, and the economy is getting worse. I’m terrified my husband will leave me. I’m so scared that next week I’ll end up homeless and dirty and eating cockroaches like Anthony Zimmern on the Travel Channel except I won’t like it like he does.

When I came back to these thoughts, I realized that I had to accept the fact that I was being affected by the company overall, although my division was doing well. When I thought deeper, it occurred to me that these cuts were actually preventing layoffs that could have been my coworkers or me. Then, I laughed at myself for quoting a Travel Channel show, and resolved to watch less TV and get outside for a walk.

Writing is a powerful (and again, FREE) tool at your disposal. Journaling allows people to clarify their thoughts and feelings, and it can help you learn about yourself. It can also help you figure out solutions to problems you hadn’t thought of before. Journaling has been shown to improve your brain functions and reduce stress, thereby strengthening the immune system. Writing targets the more emotional aspects of fear and stress.

Remember, this moment in time is not going to last forever. Won’t you be glad a few years down the road that you took care of yourself and didn’t let the silly media fear mongers get to you? And with all that walking, you’ll be looking better than ever!

Happy Earth Day!

To celebrate Geezeo sent a shirt to Jason Sadler, the man behind IWearYourShirt.com. We thought it would be great for him to wear ours today since Geezeo wants you to save green (money) and live green, too! Here’s our design. Check in with Jason to see where he’s heading today wearing our shirt!

Make a super-cool pillow
Sew it into a little skirt for your toddler
Make a quilt
Donate it to a worthy organization — for less fortunate people, or even animal rescue (who use old shirts to line cages)
Cut it up and use it for cleaning rags (saves you the literal and environmental cost of paper towels)
Use duct tape to make a one-of-a-kind shopping tote
Make yourself a halter top
…or even get yourself ready for summer by turning your shirt into a sexy bikini.

Whatever you do… don’t just throw it away! Throwing it away is like throwing away money.

The hype surrounding Easter is not nearly as big as Christmas, but the money you spend can add up more quickly than you would think. With Easter just around the corner, people are spending more money on chocolate, stuffed animals, and clothes.

Here are a few ways you may be able to cut back your spending…

1.) Do Your Own Easter Egg Hunt – Sometimes people pay per child to enter them into an Easter egg hunt that is run by the town that they live in. Although it may be fun for your children to search for eggs with other kids, it is just as easy (and probably less expensive) to hold an Easter egg hunt at your own home. Buying chocolates and hiding them around your house and even out in the backyard if the weather is nice can be a lot of fun for your kids. You can even set it up for other kids in the neighborhood or for your other family members. This way you can stay at home on Easter morning and do not have to pay per child to enter them into a town Easter egg hunt. Plus, your children will probably be able to find more eggs than if they searched with all the kids from town!

2.) Wear Hand-Me Downs – Instead of buying your children new Easter clothes that they will only end up wearing once, get hand-me-downs from friends or family that will fit your children. This way you can save a great deal of money on new Easter Sunday clothes. If you would prefer to get your children something brand new, buy clothes from an off price retailer instead such as Burlington Coat Factory, TJMaxx, or Marshalls…all these stores specialize in Easter clothes for children around this time of year.

3.) Have a Potluck Easter – Having your family over for Easter dinner is a popular tradition for many people. Having a potluck dinner can take all the expenses for food off of just your shoulders and spread it around for everyone to share. This way people can bring any dish they like and you are not footing the whole cost of Easter dinner. In such a tough economy, it is helpful for everyone to just have to spend a little bit of money but get a full dinner out of it.

4.) Cut Back on the Candy – Once your children get older and no longer do an Easter egg hunt, it may be time to cut back on all of the candy that you purchase for them for Easter. Instead of spending the money on candy, maybe consider getting them something they will really use and want instead (such as a Dunkin’ Donuts gift card or a shirt they have been wanting). This way they are still getting a little something for Easter but it might not be all that candy that may go to waste anyway.

This Easter weekend make sure to fit your Easter spending into your budget and try not to overspend too much! As we progress further into the spring season and head towards summer, make sure you are finding ways to save more money.

— By Hannah Waters, Geezeo.com

Photo by: Darren Hester

As spring approaches, people want to be able to do fun and leisurely activities that do not cost them a lot of money. With the changing of the weather and people finding themselves outside more, it is important to find things for people to do with their family and friends that they can afford in such a tough economy.

Go for a Bike Ride – Going for a bike ride is not only great exercise but can also be a lot of fun. If you feel as though your neighborhood is too busy to ride your bikes on the road, take the bikes elsewhere and go for a bike ride where there are sidewalks or the roads are not so busy. Going for a bike ride does not cost any money! If your kids do not just like to ride around aimlessly then set a destination location for them to look forward to. For instance, ride to the ice cream parlor or something similar that they will get excited about. Although this may cost a little bit of money, it is not much.

Take a Picnic to the Beach – The springtime is the best time to go to the beach. Although it definitely is not as warm as the summer and you may still need to dress warmly, when you go to the beach during the spring you beat all of those busy summer crowds. Bringing a picnic with food that you have a home is really easy and it is something both you and your kids (if you have them) will love.

Go for a Hike – A hike or a walk in the springtime can make you feel much better and get rid of all those winter blues. If there are mountains nearby to where you live or national parks, going for a walk or hike can be a great activity for the day. If you are a nature person you should even consider going camping for a weekend. It is fairly inexpensive and a lot of fun to do with a bunch of friends.

Go to the Zoo – Some zoos do charge a fee but others you can get into for free. Don’t think that you need to spend money on food or drinks while you are in the zoo as you can often bring your own and sit at one of the picnic areas. This can definitely be a whole day activity and a lot of fun for everyone. Each zoo is different and some are better than others. If the zoo near you charges an entry fee, check with your local library to see if they offer day passes before you fork over the money. Often libraries have deals with places like zoos, aquariums, and museums that will get you entry for free.

Have a Potluck BBQ – Inviting friends and family over for a BBQ on the weekends is a great way to spend time outdoors with people you care about. Making it a potluck BBQ is even better since people can contribute to the party and the cost will not be completely on you. If you like to entertain, this is a great way to get everyone together without spending a great deal of money. Even suggest that people BYOB (bring your own beer) in order to cut back on the cost of alcohol since this can be one of the most expensive contributions.

Although some of these activities may seem commonplace, it is funny how much people think they need to spend a lot of money in order to have a good time. With people trying to cut back and save as much as possible, it is important to find activities that can be done for free and still get you outdoors. Instead of spending money every weekend this spring, put the money into savings and try a few of these activities out for free. And as we head into spring, don’t forget to spring clean your finances!

— By Hannah Waters, Geezeo.com

Photo By: Grafixar

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By Nicole Crimaldi | WomenCo.

Only Suze Orman could talk about two topics as sensitive as Women and Money so honestly and accurately. In her eighth book, Women and Money, Suze uncovers the mysterious stumbling blocks that so many women face when it comes to their finances, “It doesn’t matter if I am in a room full of business executives or stay-at-home moms, I find the core problem to be universal: When it comes to making decisions with money, you refuse to own your power, to act in your best interest.”

Women are typically the givers of the world: they are always putting others before themselves, nurturing their families, and sacrificing for others. Suze is NOT suggesting women replace “nurturer with narcissist.” She says, “I simply want you to give TO yourself as much as you give OF yourself. By taking care of yourself financially, you will truly be able to take care of those you love.” She asks why women don’t show their money the same attention they show every other relationship in their lives and claims it is because women have a dysfunctional relationship with money.

It is this dysfunctional relationship that has intrigued me personally to start a business to help educate women about their finances. My belief is that it is not intelligence or information that women lack, it is a mental “block” that is holding women back. Suze points out that so many women feel they must be all things to all people, “mother, wife, dutiful daughter, supportive friend, school volunteer, cheerleader at home and at work.” With the demands of life, it’s easy to keep denying the importance of learning new things that may be uncomfortable or hard to face. It is much easier to deny that money exists, say you are just “too busy” or blame others for your financial shortcomings.

My favorite chapter of Women and Money is called “The 8 Qualities of a Wealthy Woman.” I like it because it sheds light on what many women are not doing and clarifies how changing our thoughts and behaviors will improve our relationship with money.

For example, numbers 1 and 2 are harmony and balance. When you are in harmony, what you think, say and do are aligned. How many women do you know who say, “Oh I’m fine!” or “Ok daughter, you can have that new ___” even when they don’t feel that way or can’t afford it. That leads us to quality 3: courage. Courage gives you the ability to make sure your thoughts, feelings, and actions are aligned. So many women fear that if they say no, they may hurt someone else or not be loved as much. Suze points out, “It’s so much easier to hurt yourself than to hurt someone else, isn’t it?” When you think logically about that statement it is so true, yet women do it several times a day.

I believe that courage is important because it allows women to set boundaries with quality number 4: generosity. Women are known for being too generous with their time, support, love and money. Suze points out that the act of generosity must benefit the giver as much as the receiver, or it is not true generosity.

Quality 5 and 6 are happiness and wisdom. Quality 7 is cleanliness, which is really just another word for organization. And lastly, number 8 is beauty, which is a combination of the other 7 qualities.

Notice I haven’t gone into any detail about the technical side of money in my review. Suze Orman and I could sit here all day and tell you about the importance of saving, investing, and organizing your finances but if you don’t have a relationship with money first, you will never stick to making good decisions with your money. Just like losing weight, we have to get to the bottom of what is really causing that “stumbling block” in order to conquer it.